Lokanta Aegean Eating House & Bar — Restaurant in Waitematā

Exquisite Aegean & Eastern Mediterranean Cuisine at Lokanta

Recently, my wife and I had the pleasure of dining at Lokanta, an enchanting restaurant specializing in Aegean & Eastern Mediterranean-style dishes. We were thrilled to discover the "first table" offer, allowing us to enjoy a $60 discount by making an early reservation, making it the perfect event for exploring various restaurants without hesitation.

As we indulged in a culinary journey, we savored the ox tongue, chargrilled octopus, and smoky eggplant dip. The ox tongue, served on skewers, was a delightful surprise as it lacked any undesirable aftertaste and was incredibly flavorful. The chargrilled octopus was impeccably tender yet retained its delightful texture, a true testament to the chef's skills. And the smoky eggplant dip paired perfectly with the complimentary bread, making it a delightful treat that left us wanting more.

For our main course, we relished the Damascus chicken and Topkapi beef. The dishes showcased the brilliance of the chefs, combining diverse ingredients in ways that we had never experienced before. Each bite was a celebration of flavors, with every ingredient harmoniously complementing one another.

The basic hummus served with the bread was exceptional and had us coming back for more. The dishes were impeccably seasoned, showcasing the chef's mastery in balancing flavors. The freshness of the ingredients was evident in every bite, leaving us with the feeling that we could happily eat here for a lifetime.

The chefs' dedication and passion for their craft shone through each thoughtfully prepared dish. Lokanta deserves greater recognition for the extraordinary dining experience it offers. The restaurant's commitment to serving fresh, innovative, and delicious cuisine should be celebrated and shared with food enthusiasts everywhere.

In conclusion, Lokanta is a hidden gem that impressed us with its outstanding Aegean & Eastern Mediterranean-style dishes. From the succulent chargrilled octopus to the flavorful ox tongue, every dish showcased the chefs' skill and creativity. We left the restaurant satisfied, with memories of an unforgettable dining experience, and eager to return for more culinary delights. If you seek an exceptional dining adventure that blends innovation with tradition, Lokanta is the...

As the title suggests, we had an amazing time. With only a minor room for improvement. Hence the 4*. Regretably we do not have photos on this occasion as I did not want to break the immersion but popping out a camera mid-experience. On with the review...

Great and charming reception on arrival. Ours was a 'first-table' booking and we were warmly received and seated. The waitress did a textbook introduction of the menu, specials, any sold-out dishes, and covered my partner's GF diet with a complete alternative menu. We were blown away by the attention there, well done. It's refreshing to see someone upholding classic host etiquette as these days we often see only the basics covered and you're left to DIY the rest.

The menu is outstanding. Great variety and originality. A fresh approach to what the mainstream offers. I was excited to finally try a different cuisine rather than the usual. It took my partner some effort to change the routine and she didn't regret it. Altogether we had Stuffed Mussels, Anatolian Meatballs, Aegean Goat, and the Baked Eggplant. Finished with Morrocan Tea and Turkish Delight. Well... Flawless execution and flavours galore. I could go on forever so I'll leave it there.

The setting was very warm and homelike. Which is what they strive to deliver I believe. So spot on there. The only minor room for improvement are:

1. If you're aiming for a homelike atmosphere then please approach your diners more often to check on them and their experience. We weren't approach once to be probed for our satisfaction after our meals were delivered. And we would have raved about it had we been asked.
2. In such a restaurant (not a cafe or bistro), getting your guests to pay at the counter kinda breaks the immersion. I'd recommend investing in the tools to bring bills to tables and maintain that ambiance right to the end.
3. When your diners are done and leaving, try to give them a farewell as you would at home. It would make the world of difference. There was something missing there at the end.

So as you can see, a highly recommended venue. The feedback is minor and hardly a reason to hesitate. I'd return...

Came here for dinner and sat in their cute little outdoor courtyard and enjoyed the last of the evening sun. We ordered a number of dishes to share The smoky eggplant dip - really nice and a good level of smokiness the Gallipoli bombas - this was nice but felt quite expensive for what it was The bbq octopus - this was truly terrible. Honestly not sure what was going on here as I’ve never eaten octopus that tasted like this. It was like floury and weird? Definitely not fresh. Normally if octopus is over cooked it’s rubbery and chewy and it wasn’t like that but it was super weird. Would def no rexommend and would not order again The goat main - this was amazing. Super delicious and tender! A really standout dish. All elements on the plate were on point The melting eggplant - also really yummy The mains were really good value and super delicious but the small plates / starters felt quite expensive and the overall bill was quite high (although we did order a lot and definitely could have done wirh one less dish). Should really be a 4.5 star review - was really just the octopus which was really bad and the kind of expensive starters that let detracted Enjoyed overall and would highly recommend,...